Kiir to presents ‘harmonized’ unified army command structure to Machar  

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit will present and discuss with First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and ‘harmonized’ structure of the country’s unified army command, SPLM Secretary General Peter Lam disclosed on Tuesday.

This comes after the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Machar rejected, as unilateral, a decision by President Salva Kiir Mayardit giving only two senior army positions and one police position to the SPLM-IO.

Kiir on Friday evening issued a republican order through the state-own South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation (SSBC) allocating the inspector general of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and deputy army chief for morale and orientation to the main armed opposition.

Kiir also allocated the position of deputy inspector general of police to the SPLM-IO. In a related presidential decree, the South Sudanese head of state allocated the deputy army chief for riverine forces and another position of lieutenant general in the police to the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).

But in a statement on Saturday afternoon, First Vice President Machar rejected the presidential action and said the decision by President Salva Kiir to re-structure the army command without the involvement of other signatories to the revitalized peace agreement violates the peace agreement.

Speaking to journalists following a meeting with First Vice President Machar on Tuesday, SPLM Secretary-General Peter Lam Both said he had delivered a message from President Salva Kiir to assure the first vice president of the SPLM commitment to the implement the revitalized peace agreement and Kiir will present a harmonized military structure next week.

“Further discussions to address any other outstanding issues on harmonized military command will take place when the team led by Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Hon. Tut Gatluak comes back from Khartoum where they have gone to consult with the Current Chair of IGAD,” he said.